. >> eliot: it's so predictable as the presidential debates approach, a spokesperson starts down playing how his candidate will do, hoping that reports will be that barack obama or mitt romney did better than expected. it has nothing to do with who is really scoring more points and it doesn't fool anyone. we have all seen this kind of public relations stunt before no one is buying it. both candidates are smart and articulate, and skilled at this kind of debate, both campaigns and their candidates should be focusing on the serious questions that need to be answered. here are a few, for mitt romney governor you have attacked the individual mandate requirement in the president's health care plan, but approved it for massachusetts, and you, newt gingrich, and the heritage foundation argued it was the key to sound health care economics until barack obama adopted explain why the individual mandate is no longer essential to health care economics. second question, put aside the language about foreign policy and the rhetoric about not apologizing, name who things you would do differently about ir